District judge lowers bond for man arrested in downtown fight that left man hospitalized

Police: Schwirtlich suffered a brain injury that will cause him to have seizures for the next five to 10 years

Surveillance video of three men involved in a confrontation in downtown Corpus Christi.

Contributed

CORPUS CHRISTI - A district judge reduced the bond for a 23-year-old man arrested this month in connection with a downtown fight that left a man hospitalized.

Victor Pedro Perez's bond was set at $200,000, but State District Judge Bobby Galvan lowered it to $50,000 Tuesday after Perez's attorney, Scott Ellison, asked for a reduction. He argued that standard second-degree felony bond amounts range from $20,000 to $25,000.

Galvan agreed with Ellison's argument and also considered that Perez was on his way to turn himself in to police when he was arrested.

Perez is accused of punching Erik Schwirtlich, 25, about midnight Dec. 1 on a sidewalk at North Chaparral and Starr streets as he headed to a bar. Surveillance video from nearby businesses shows Schwirtlich and a man bump into each other and exchange words before Schwirtlich is punched and knocked to the pavement unconscious.

The attacker and another man are seen walking away as Schwirtlich remained motionless on the ground. He was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious head injuries.

Corpus Christi Police Detective Richard L. Garcia testified that Schwirtlich suffered a brain injury that will cause him to have seizures for the next five to 10 years.

Prosecutor George Schimmel argued Schwirtlich did not fight back, nor was he ready for a fight.

Perez's mother, Myra Ramirez, also testified, saying that her son has a steady job and has never been in trouble with the law. As she walked from the witness stand to the gallery, Ramirez kissed her son on the cheek. He said "I love you" and she responded "I love you, too," wiping the tears from her eyes as she sat in her seat.

A fugitive task force stopped an SUV containing Perez about 3 p.m. Dec. 5 near Chaparral and Peoples streets and took him to the city's detention center. Perez was outside his attorney's office, getting ready to turn himself in to police, Ellison said.

Schwirtlich's older brother, Brad, described when Erik was admitted to an intensive care unit, saying he couldn't walk, couldn't stand and could only mumble a few sounds. He said his condition has improved and he can move his hands and fingers.

Schimmel asked Brad Schwirtlich if his brother is the person he previously was.

"As we sit in his hospital room, you see those moments or flashes in the way he looks at you, but he's definitely not the young man he was before," he said.